Breaking Cloud Lock-in: The Role of Open Source and Standards in Creating a Competitive Cloud Market

European Open Source Academy hosts a new webinar, tackling the role of open source and standards in creating a competitive cloud market!

The webinar will explore how open source software and open standards can help address cloud vendor lock-in and contribute to a more competitive and interoperable cloud ecosystem in Europe. The discussion will focus on the structural challenges created by dominant cloud providers, the risks of dependency for public administrations and companies, and the role that open technologies can play in restoring choice and market competition.

The session will also highlight how open source and standards-based approaches enable portability, interoperability, and transparency in cloud environments. This is increasingly relevant in the context of European policy debates around digital sovereignty, data governance, and the future of the European cloud market.

Why are cloud services important for Europe's digital future?

Cloud services are now a core component of Europe’s digital infrastructure, powering public services, research, and industry. At the same time, concerns about vendor lock-in, limited portability between platforms, and dependency on a small number of global providers have intensified policy discussions in Brussels and across Member States.

Open source technologies and open standards provide a practical pathway to mitigate these risks. By enabling interoperability and preventing proprietary lock-in, they support a more competitive cloud market where organizations can move workloads, data, and services more easily between providers. This approach aligns with broader European objectives related to digital sovereignty, resilience, and innovation.

Tune in for the webinar if you want to excel your knowledge in following topics

The webinar will tackle some of the key themes such as:

• The technical and economic drivers of cloud lock-in,
• How open source platforms and open standards enable interoperability and portability,
• The role of policy and regulation in addressing cloud market concentration,
• Examples of open cloud infrastructure and standards-based ecosystems,

• What Europe can do to foster a more competitive and open cloud market.

   

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Meet the panelists 

Dries Buytaert is the Founder and Project Lead of Drupal, one of the largest and most active Open Source projects in the world. Drupal is a widely adopted platform for building websites and digital experiences, powering approximately 2% of all websites globally and one in ten in the enterprise sector.bIn 2007, he co-founded Acquia, a SaaS company that provides solutions for creating, managing, and optimizing digital customer experiences. Under his leadership, Acquia has grown to over $350 million in annual revenue. Dries was Acquia's CTO for 17 years and is currently the Executive Chair.

Felix Kronlage-Dammers leads the SCS Standards Forum within the Sovereign Cloud Stack—an open framework for sovereign cloud infrastructure—and serves as project manager for OSBA’s ECO:DIGIT initiative. He previously founded and ran bytemine GmbH and later worked as COO at gridscale, bringing a strong track record in business leadership. With more than 20 years of experience in open source development, he is also actively involved in NGOs and serves on OSBA’s extended board.

Paolo Vecchi has been working with and has been a promoter of Open Source software for the past 20 of his 35 years career in IT. More recently he has been working with European partners to deliver Open Source based Cloud platforms, working as the CEO of Omnis Cloud. He is an advisor to the Ministry of the Economy in matters related to Open Source and Digital Sovereignty and volunteers as a director at The Document Foundation (LibreOffice).

Ritesh Paiboina is currently Chief Technology Officer for T Cloud Public (formally Open Telekom Cloud). As Chief Technology Officer, responsible for the strategic delivery and expansion of Open Telekom Cloud’s portfolio, ensuring advanced technology and architectural excellence. Direct software security programs and compliance, shaping robust frameworks for public cloud offerings. Foster portfolio development and drive innovation by collaborating with product leadership and squads to introduce next-generation services and infrastructure. With almost 15 years of experience in cloud technologies, he has led strategic initiatives delivering innovative, secure, and technical solutions for public and private clouds based on Openstack. Ritesh has a deep passion for open-source cloud technologies, particularly OpenStack and T Cloud Public, which he regards as vital for innovation and openness in the cloud industry.

Gina Plat is the Interim Lead of the Open Source Program Office (OSPO) for the Dutch Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK). With a background in IT management and open source policy, Gina is actively involved in initiatives that will strengthen the Dutch government’s digital sovereignty. She has worked on building open source initiatives in the public sector and has firsthand experience with the challenges of procurement, policy, and governance. 

Stefan Zosel serves as the VP Global Cloud Lead for the Public Sector at Capgemini. With over 25 years of experience in the ICT industry, he is a prominent advocate for Open Source Software and digital sovereignty, particularly within government and public administration frameworks. Before joining Capgemini in 2021, Stefan held several leadership roles focused on cloud instructure and open source ecosystems, such as working for T-Systems International, VMware/Pivotal, and others.

Agenda